Tuesday, January 29, 2008

Watching the Florida Numbers Roll In

9:11pm - Fox calls it for McCain. Can I go throw up now?

9:10pm - Gap is up to 52K. 'Nuff said.

9:08pm - I know why Mel Martinez and Charlie Crist endorsed McCain. But Rudy? (via Michelle Malkin) It follows, I guess. McCain is now officially the establishment GOP candidate. And the establishment doesn't speak for me. Good Lord, I guess I'll register as an Independent. Do these people not understand the McCain would endorse the Shamnesty bill?

8:52pm - OK, with 46% reporting, McCain is up by 40K votes. I hate to say it, but it's over. Romney may barely hold on to his popular-vote lead, but with 57 delegates, McCain will leap to the front in the delegate count. Fox Election Tomato, Megan ?, went through the exit polling, and it looks like Romney is losing some key demographics including Men and Seniors. Huckabee's on right now, playing for the VP slot.

8:40pm - The gap is up to 26K. If it goes over 30K, I think that will be an irreversable trend. I feel sorry for the news networks, they won't be able to call this until sometime tomorrow morning.

8:35pm - 37% in and the gap keeps growing, 22K now. Hillary is having a "victory" party in Florida. If those delegates get seated, I believe there will be a giant, rending "crack" in the Democrat party. Almost as big as if McCain gets the nomination.

8:29pm - 35% in and the gap has widened to 20K. I hope this isn't the start of a trend.

8:27pm - A Romney supporter (Kevin Madden) on Fox said that McCain has been an "unreliable Republican". That sums it up for me.

8:25pm - Fox News announced their exit polling: 34% for McCain, 31% for Romney. 1,500+ in the poll that included absentee/early voters. Wint 33% in, Romney is back behind by 18K votes (2%). Like I said, I'm wondering about the pan-handle.

8:12pm - With 29% in - Romney has closed the gap. He's only 8K behind on vote count (1%). I can dare to dream that Romney will pull it out at this point.

8:09pm - I feel like I'm watching the end of the Republican party. Romney is down by 22K in votes or by 3%. It's close, and it'll go down to the end. But, he'll lose the delegate lead. Another "silver" won't do. And it won't give him any momentum going into Super Tuesday. Can you tell I'm a FoF that has shifted to Romney? Giuliani would be my third choice. Damn, after that I'd go super-wacko down to Paul before I'd go for McCain or Huckabee.

8:05pm - Just got home and McCain is up 34% to 31%. He's starting to close the vote number gap, but I'm waiting for the panhandle numbers roll in. That's the area that turned the tide for President Bush in 2000. That's where the conservative Republicans are. I believe they will go for Romney.